Mocking a millennial for not being able to use a rotary phone or something would be akin to a boomer not being able to blacksmith. But blacksmithing has generally never been a “common” skill in daily life and with the start of industrialization it was largely made obsolete because machined and formed structures and various materials made it so that you wouldn’t generally need to or even be able to smith many objects in modern life.
But plumbing is still widely used. Electrical wiring; most western homes still use drywall on stud construction. Black smiths may be rare but you’ll find plenty of people who can weld or solder… skills often useful to have.
But… just because the comparison isn’t quite dead on doesn’t mean the message is wrong. No one can “do everything,” I mean- that’s why we have specialists right? It can take years to develop the knowledge and skills to be basically proficient in carpentry let alone plumbing, electrical, consumer electronics, blah blah. And what will you use these skills for? Pretty much to save money. I mean- if you can repair your own washing machine or install your own chandelier or fix your own car you can save tons of money. But then again… is it worth it? I can change my own oil just fine, did it for decades. But…. If you don’t have a lift it kinda sucks. If you don’t get a good deal on the supplies it’s going to cost as much or more than some “oil change special” somewhere, and you’re half an hour or more into your free time, plus the effort, and you still need to get rid of the oil unless you pay someone to do that for you too…. As opposed to dropping off a car or getting a mobile mechanic…
So here’s the thing- if you spend your “learning time” learning how to do something that pays well, hiring someone is almost a no brainer for most things you just want to get done. If your electrician charges $100 an hour and you make $100 an hour or more- well… there you go. But even if your specialist makes more than you it can be worth it. If you mess up your job, if you forget to put your drain plug back when you change your oil or install your water heater wrong and cause thousands of dollars in damages, what do you do, sue yourself? If your contractor messes up- you have remedies to get it fixed without the costs. If you dabble a little on home repair and do an OK job at installing cabinets- how much is it worth to you to get a pro who does a great job because that is their speciality and they have waaaay more experience than you? What about something more critical- if you’re a “home mechanic,” maybe you can do just as well as a pro in results or maybe
Your home done brake job doesn’t stop or stops working while your kids are in the car? You have to be honest about your abilities and some things are too important to risk on “I think I can..” unless you know you can. On that note, maybe you are very good at something and don’t trust someone else. Modern houses tend to be built like crap unless you personally contract and work with the team- bad molding joints and lazy paint or spakle, things not square, gaps and lack of care. So if you’re picky you might want to DIY because there isn’t anyone who can do what you want or because what you want is “non standard” or may have an astronomical cost. This meets up to the other reason why maybe it’s not something to look down on so much that someone can’t DIY…
Another point- do you ENJOY this thing? If you LIKE the puzzle solving aspects or seeing the results of your labor or learning new skills or whatever- DIY projects can be tons of fun. I enjoy electrical work for the most part, it’s interesting and you can do all sorts of neat things to optimize or add functionality. A weekend spent routing cables and hiding components can be exhausting and frustrating but it is also fun and having something cool and pretty unique that you did can feel good. But… I hate plumbing. It isn’t particularly hard but I dislike working with plumbing. I can- I try to avoid it and do not enjoy it. If you like making furniture, making a table is just as good a use of time as playing a game or reading a book- but… if you don’t LIKE doing those sorts of things, why would someone who didn’t have to use their free time to do them spend their time on it?
I used to be, and sometimes still slip up and can be, one of those people that “looks down” on the less handy. I’m a very handy person, very able to be self sufficient. I had to be because I couldn’t afford not to and enjoy the things I love or keep a place to live even. When I meet a friends partner or meet a new coworker- sexist maybe, but especially a man- who isn’t handy at all- I used to think less of them and sometimes slip up and let that shape my initial judgments. But- I’ve learned the lessons above. It doesn’t really matter. It’s more comforting to me that the pilot of the plane or doctor doing my surgery spent their free time learning and improving their skills or relaxing between work so they are focussed and happy than that they know how to unclog a sink or change a tire or hand drywall. Those “old school” sort of “self sufficient” “survival” mentalities have a place sort of-
Like if WW3 ended society or you were lost alone in the Arctic being handy could have benefits, but it’s also not likely knowing how to install double pane windows or how to paint a car are likely to be super useful in those situations… but I mean- sure- if you don’t have a lot of money, and especially when you are younger and tend to have more free time and less money, being able to repair household things or do simple maintenance on your car or if you are lucky enough to buy a home; being able to do some improvements and repairs can be a great way to save money or to get things done you can’t afford. That said- if you don’t need it… why spend time learning and doing DIY skills vs. things you can use or making money or learning and doing things that interest you?
So end of the day- the analogy is sort of bad, but the message is about right. The world doesn’t need 7 billion plumbers or 7 billion carpenters or 7 billion electricians etc. who range from terrible to pretty good.
If you need a skill, learn it. If you enjoy a skill, learn it. If you aren’t doing anything better, why not? But the attitude that you should be able to do XYZ is maybe not so true. It is nice to be able to handle certain “emergencies” and prudent to handle some real emergencies or at least know how to safely stabilize your situation and identify what is dangerous- but in the modern developed world if you have the money you can generally contract out any job you might think of. So do you.
There is some truth there, but the market tends to correct itself and as skilled trade persons become harder to find their services tend to cost more, driving people to the job of the demand is actually there to support it. We can’t blame the lack of skilled trades people on low millennial DIY though- there are factors like the tendency of owners to use “non affiliated” “handymen” who are often “jacks of all trades” and charge fractions of professional bonded and licensed specialists. With a trend towards price shopping and the drop on home ownership rates in general coupled with several close recessions slowing new construction as well, and trends to centralization in construction and property management- many “handy” industries are under unfavorable pressure.
In the end though, the market tends to correct if a service is needed, and if millennials or perhaps zoomers end up in a position where skilled trade work is unavailable or extremely cost prohibitive, the natural progression would be more people taking up handiwork DIY out of necessity and then the need for trade work is either somewhat relived or you have a new wave of skilled persons in a market where those skills are potentially highly marketable and the possibility for the job cycle in trades to refresh itself.
Of course we need tradespeople but- much like teachers the job has been increasingly unfavorable for some time. With average US salaries for plumbers by state now around $50-60k (some make more of course and some less..) and many lucrative opportunities in technology, sales, gig work etc. that lay more or even a job managing a retail store being able to compete or beat those wages- in California under new minimum wage laws minimum wage workers could make $45k a year…
That’s $5k less than the low end plumber average and doesn’t require special skills or tools, the same transportation costs, liabilities etc. and generally doesn’t inherently involve sewage. So… we reap what we sow.
It’s also worth noting that even when the trade market is flush with potential hires it is still hard to find skilled labor. Often harder because a flush labor market for the trades usually means depression of other sectors or high demand driving increased trade wages which tends to draw more UNSKILLED workers looking to get in to the business. Experience in a trade can help gauge a fellow tradespersons aptitude but you really never know the quality of their work unless you’ve seen it or “try them out,” so the talent of any particular trades person you call isn’t even guaranteed to be baseline passable unless perhaps they are part of a reputable union and have gone through their initiations. Otherwise it may be a test or not even that and they can be at your door.
But plumbing is still widely used. Electrical wiring; most western homes still use drywall on stud construction. Black smiths may be rare but you’ll find plenty of people who can weld or solder… skills often useful to have.
If you need a skill, learn it. If you enjoy a skill, learn it. If you aren’t doing anything better, why not? But the attitude that you should be able to do XYZ is maybe not so true. It is nice to be able to handle certain “emergencies” and prudent to handle some real emergencies or at least know how to safely stabilize your situation and identify what is dangerous- but in the modern developed world if you have the money you can generally contract out any job you might think of. So do you.
Of course we need tradespeople but- much like teachers the job has been increasingly unfavorable for some time. With average US salaries for plumbers by state now around $50-60k (some make more of course and some less..) and many lucrative opportunities in technology, sales, gig work etc. that lay more or even a job managing a retail store being able to compete or beat those wages- in California under new minimum wage laws minimum wage workers could make $45k a year…
It’s also worth noting that even when the trade market is flush with potential hires it is still hard to find skilled labor. Often harder because a flush labor market for the trades usually means depression of other sectors or high demand driving increased trade wages which tends to draw more UNSKILLED workers looking to get in to the business. Experience in a trade can help gauge a fellow tradespersons aptitude but you really never know the quality of their work unless you’ve seen it or “try them out,” so the talent of any particular trades person you call isn’t even guaranteed to be baseline passable unless perhaps they are part of a reputable union and have gone through their initiations. Otherwise it may be a test or not even that and they can be at your door.